Disk harrow.



O. W. MICHAEL.

DISK HARROW. APPLIGATIQN FILED 1320.31, 1909 Patented May 21, 1912.

Illllll COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPM co., WASHINGTON. v. c.

unirnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLEMENT W. MICHAEL, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T0 J. I. CASE PLOWWORKS, 0F RAOINE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION.

DISK HARROW.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1912.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CLEMENT W. MICHAEL, acitizen of the United States, anda resident of Racine, county of Racine,and State of WVisconsin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in. Disk Harrows, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to disk harrows which are usually provided withtwo gangs of revolving disks. In operation, the disk gangs'are inclinedto the line of draft, the inner adjacent ends of the gangs beingrearward of their forward outer ends. The gangs have a limited lateralplay transverse to the line of draft, and the concave faces of the disksface outwardly, so that the side thrust of the soil upon the gangsbrings their inner ends into engagement. To reduce the friction betweenthe inner, abutting ends of the two rotatable disk gangs, the inner endsare usually provided, with semispherical bumpers.

The present invention seeks to further reduce the friction between thegangs and thereby reduce the wear and tear thereon by providing springmeans for resisting the side thrust of the gangs and consists in thefeatures of improvement hereinafter set forth, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the preferred form of the invention, the side thrust of the gangs isresisted and the gangs are held apart by a pair of yielding stop-devicesor plungers mounted on the frame and arranged 'to engage the outerdraw-bars that are pivoted at their ends to the frame and to the diskgangs. Preferably also, means are provided for adjusting the position ofthesp'ring plungers and for regulating the tension of their springs.

The preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing in which Figure 1 is a. plan view with a portion of the framebroken away and shown in section to clearly illustrate the constructionof one of the spring plungers. Fig. 2 is a detail view in elevation withparts shown in section on the line 2--2 ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detailView in elevation with parts shown in section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

The frame of the disk harrow illustrated comprises a rear transverseangle bar 10 that 1s centrally fixed to the rear end of a tongue 11. Afront frame-bar 12 is centrally fixed to the tongue and comprises sideportions rearwardly inclined therefrom and connected at their ends tothe ends of the rear bar 10. The gangs comprise sets of concavoconvexdisks 13, the disks ofeach gang being mounted upon a shaft 14 and heldin position thereon by spacing sleeves or spools 15. The shafts 1 1 ofthe gangs are journaled adjacent their inner and outer ends in boxes 16and 17. Outer draw-bars 19 are pivotally connected at their rear ends tothe outer journal boxes 17 of the gangs and extend upwardly andforwardly therefrom through slots 20 in the vertical flange of theanglebar 10 and are pivotally connected at their forward ends to thefront frame-bar 12. Links 21 are pivotally connected at their rear endsto the inner journal boxes 16 of the gang and extend forwardly therefromand are pivotally connected attheir forward ends to the lower ends of apair of adjusting levers 22. These adjusting levers are pivoted adjacenttheir lower ends upon brackets 23 secured to the tongue 11 and eachlever is provided with the usual spring-held locking dog 24 which isarranged to engage a notched segment 25 formed upon the correspondingbracket 23. By shifting the lever 28, the inner, adjacent ends of thedisk gangs are moved back and forth and the angle or inclination of thegangs to the line of draft is thereby adjusted. The vertical movement ofthe inner ends of the gangs is limited by a transverse stop-bar 18 whichextends above the inner draw-bars 21 and the ends of which are upturnedand secured to the rear frame-bar 10. The lateral movement of the gangsis limited by the engagement of the outer draw-bars 19 with the ends ofslots 20 in the rear frame-bar 10. The journal boxes 16 and 17 of thegangs are provided wit-h the usual upright standards 26 that carry thescraper-bars and weightboxes (not shown), the latter being connected tothe frame by the links or bars 27 which are arranged in line with andabove the draw-bars 19.

In operation, the disk gangs are arranged in inclined position, as shownin Fig. 1,

with the inner adjacent ends thereof rearward of their outer ends. Theconcave sides of the disk face outwardly, so that the side thrust of thesoil upon the gangs tends to bring the inner ends thereof intoengagement. In accordance with the present invention, this side thrustof the gangs is yieldingly resisted, preferably by a pair of stopdevices or spring plungers 28 that are arranged to engage the outerdraw-bars 19. These plungers are held in position by a pair of U-shapedclips or holders 29 which are secured in horizontal position to thevertical flange of the angle-bar 10 and are provided at their ends withforwardly extending, perforated ears 30 through which the plungers arearranged to slide longitudinal-1y and in horizontal direction. Thesupporting clips and plungers are arranged inside the outer draw -bars19 with the plungers in position to be engaged thereby. The inward shiftof the plungers and drawbars is resisted by springs 81. Each of thesesprings is coiled about the corresponding plunger and extends betweenthe innermost ear 30 and a washer 32 on the plunger that is held inplace by an adjusting nut 33. The outward movement of each plunger islimited by an adjusting nut 34: threaded on its inner end and engagingthe innermost ear 30 of the corresponding clip or holder 29. Byadjusting the nut 34, the position of the plungers 28, with reference tothe drawbars 19, can be adjusted as desired, and by means of the nut 33,the tension of the springs 81 can be regulated.

In operation, the spring-held plungers engage the outer draw-bars l9 andyieldingly resist the side thrust or lateral movement of the gangs. Theplungers, however, will yield to permit the slight lateral move ment ofthe gangs when they meet with an obstruction of any sort. The gangs arethus yieldingly held apart, so that the friction between the inner endsthereof and the wear and tear on the gangs are considerably reduced. Asthe inner ends of the gangs are, however, occasionally brought intoengagement, they are provided with the semispherical bumpers 35, asshown. The springs 31 are quite heavy so that they will effectivelyperform their function of resisting the side thrust of the gangs andwill, therefore, greatly reduce the friction even when the bumpers 35 onthe inner ends of the gangs are in contact.

It is obvious that the details set forth may be varied without departurefrom the essentials of the invention.

I claim as my invention 1. In a disk harrow, the combination with aframe, two disk-gangs and draw-bars pivotally connecting said gangs andsaid frame, of spring-held plungers arranged to engage said draw-bars toresist the side thrust of said gangs and yieldingly hold the same apart,and supporting guides fixed to the frame wherein said plungers areslidably mounted, substantially as described.

'2. In a disk harrow, the combination with the frame comprising frontand rear bars, of a pair of disk gangs, inner and outer draw barspivotally connected to said gangs. said outer draw bars being pivotallyconnected to said front frame bar, adjusting levers on the frameconnected to said inner draw bars and spring-held plungers mounted onsaid rear bar and engaging said outer draw bars to yieldingly hold saidgangs apart, substantially as described.

3. In a disk harrow, the combination with the frame comprising front andrear bars, of a pair of disk-gangs, draw-bars pivoted to said gangs andto said front frame bars, and spring-held plungers engaging saiddraw-bar to yieldingly resist the inward movement of saiddisk-gangs andfor holding the same apart, and supporting guides fixed to said rearframe bar wherein said plunger-s are slidably mounted, substantially asdescribed. V

4. In a disk harrow, the combination with the frame comprising front andrear bars, of a pair of disk gangs, draw'bars pivoted to said gangs andto said front frame bars, and spring-held stop plungers in one wayengagement with said draw bars to yieldingly resist the inward movementof said gangs, said rear bar having guides wherein said stop plungersare slidably mounted, and means for adjusting the normal position ofsaid stop plungers.

5. In a disk harrow, the combination with the frame comprising front andrear bars, of two disk-gangs, inner and outer drawbars pivotallyconnected to said gangs, adj usting levers on the frame connected tosaid inner draw-bars, said outer draw-bars eX- tending through slots insaid rear frame bar and being pivotally connected to saidfront framebar, and sliding, spring-held plungers mounted on said rear frame barand engaging said outer draw-bars to yieldingly hold said gangs apart,substantially as described.

(3. In a disk harrow, the combination with the frame comprising frontandrear bars, of two disk-gangs, inner and outer drawbars pivotallyconnected to said gangs, adjusting levers on the frame connected to saidinner draw-bars, said outer draw-bars extending through slots insaid'rear frame bar and being pivotally connected to said frontframe-bar, U-shaped holders mounted on said rear frame bars, slidingplungers mounted on said holders and arranged to engage said outerdraw-bars, springs coiled about said plungers, and nuts on said plungers for adjusting the position thereof and the tension of said springs,substantially as described.

7. In a disk harrow, the combination With justing the tension of saidsprings and sepathe frame, disk-gangs and laterally swingrate means foradjusting the normal posi- 1o :iEng drawfbars connecting said gangs tosaid tion of said stop plungers.

rame, 0 stop plungers mounted on the frame and arranged to engage saiddraw CLEMENT MICHAEL bars to resist the inward movement of saidWitnesses: disk-gangs, springs for resisting the move= STANLEY A.BREWER, ment of said stop plungers, means for ad- ROY W. MARTIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, D. G.

